demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第77部分

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ion；　as　you'd　expect　in　a　diary；　just　a　cataloging　of　the　sex　that　transpired。　Certainly；　this　was　embarrassing　to　Bill　Kent；　but　it　was　also　an　affirmation　that　Ann　Campbell　thought　no　more　of　him　than　she　did　of　her　vibrator。　I　could　see　in　his　face　that　he　was　getting　angry；　which　is　the　least　controllable　of　human　emotions；　and　the　one　that　invariably　leads　to　self…destruction。
　Kent　stood　and　said；　〃I　don't　have　to　listen　to　this。〃
　I　stood　also。　〃I　think　you　should。　Please　sit　down。　We　really　need　you　here。〃
　He　seemed　to　be　deciding　whether　to　stay　or　go；　but　it　was　an　act。　The　most　important　thing　in　his　life　was　happening　here　and　now；　and；　if　he　left；　it　would　happen　without　him。
　With　feigned　reluctance；　he　sat；　and　I　sat。
　Cynthia　continued　reading　as　if　nothing　had　happened。　She　found　a　particularly　kinky　entry　and　read；　〃　'Bill　has　really　gotten　into　sexual　asphyxia　now　after　resisting　it　for　so　long。　His　favorite　is　putting　a　noose　around　his　neck　and　hanging　from　a　spike　on　the　wall　while　I　give　him　a　blow　job。　But　he　also　likes　to　tie　me　to　the　bed；　which　he　did　tonight；　and　tightening　the　rope　around　my　neck　while　he　uses　the　big　vibrator　on　me。　He's　bee　good　at　it；　and　I　have　intense　and　multiple　orgasms。'　〃　Cynthia　looked　up　at　Kent　for　a　moment；　then　flipped　through　the　pages。
　Kent　seemed　no　longer　angry；　nor　embarrassed；　nor　unfortable。　He　seemed；　in　fact；　sort　of　far　away；　as　if　he　were　remembering　those　better　days；　or　looking　into　a　bad　future。
　Cynthia　read　the　last　entry；　the　one　that　Grace　had　read　to　us　over　the　phone。　〃　'Bill　is　being　possessive　again。　I　thought　we　solved　that　problem。　He　showed　up　here　tonight　when　Ted　Bowes　was　here。　Ted　and　I　hadn't　gone　downstairs　yet；　and　Bill　and　he　had　a　drink　in　the　living　room；　and　Bill　was　nasty　to　him　and　pulled　rank　on　him。　Finally；　Ted　left；　and　Bill　and　I　had　words。　He　says　he's　prepared　to　leave　his　wife　and　resign　his　mission　if　I　promise　to　live　with　him　or　marry　him　or　something。　He　knows　why　I　do　what　I　do　with　him　and　the　other　men；　but　he's　starting　to　think　there's　more　to　it　with　us。　He's　pressing　me；　and　I　tell　him　to　stop。　Tonight；　he　doesn't　even　want　sex。　He　just　wants　to　talk。　I　let　him　talk；　but　I　don't　like　what　he's　saying。　Why　do　some　men　think　they　have　to　be　knights　in　shining　armor？　I　don't　need　a　knight。　I　am　my　own　knight；　I　am　my　own　dragon；　and　I　live　in　my　own　castle。　Everyone　else　are　props　and　bit　players。　Bill　is　not　very　cognitive。　He　doesn't　understand；　so　I　don't　try　to　explain。　I　did　tell　him　I'd　consider　his　offer；　but　in　the　meantime；　would　he　only　e　here　with　an　appointment？　This　put　him　into　a　rage；　and　he　actually　slapped　me；　then　ripped　off　my　clothes　and　raped　me　on　the　living　room　floor。　When　he　was　done；　he　seemed　to　feel　better；　then　left　in　a　sulk。　I　realize　he　could　be　dangerous；　but　I　don't　care；　and；　in　fact；　of　all　of　them；　he's　the　only　one　except　for　Wes　who　has　actually　threatened　me　or　hit　me；　and　it's　the　only　thing　that　makes　Bill　Kent　interesting。'　〃
　Cynthia　put　the　papers　down；　and　we　all　sat　there。　I　asked　Kent；　〃You　raped　her　right　over　there　on　the　living　room　floor？〃　I　nodded　toward　the　next　room。
　Kent　wasn't　answering　questions。　But　he　did　say；　〃If　your　purpose　is　to　humiliate　me；　you're　doing　a　fine　job　of　it。〃
　I　replied；　〃My　purpose；　Colonel；　is　to　find　out　who　murdered　Ann　Campbell；　and；　not　least　of　all；　to　find　out　why。〃
　〃Do　you　think　I　。。。　that　I　know　something　I'm　not　telling？〃
　〃Yes；　we　think　so。〃　I　picked　up　the　remote　control　and　turned　on　the　TV　and　the　VCR。　Ann　Campbell's　face　came　into　focus；　in　the　middle　of　a　lecture。　I　said　to　Kent；　〃Do　you　mind？　This　woman　fascinates　me；　as　I'm　sure　she　fascinated　you　and　others。　I　need　to　see　her　every　once　in　a　while。　It　helps。〃
　Captain　Ann　Campbell　was　speaking。　〃The　moral　question　arises　concerning　the　use　of　psychology；　which　is　usually　a　healing　science；　as　a　weapon　of　war。〃　Ann　Campbell　took　the　microphone　from　the　lectern　and　walked　toward　the　camera。　She　sat　on　the　floor　with　her　legs　dangling　over　the　edge　of　the　stage　and　said；　〃I　can　see　you　guys　better　now。〃
　I　glanced　at　Kent；　who　was　watching　closely；　and；　if　I　could　judge　his　feelings　by　my　own；　I　guessed　that　he　wished　she　were　alive　and　in　this　very　room　so　that　he　could　speak　to　her　and　touch　her。
　Ann　Campbell　continued　her　talk　about　the　morality　of　psychological　operations；　and　about　the　wants；　needs；　and　fears　of　human　beings　in　general。　She　said；　〃Psychology　is　a　soft　weapon…it's　not　a　155mm　artillery　round；　but　you　can　take　out　more　enemy　battalions　with　leaflets　and　radio　broadcasts　than　with　high　explosives。　You　don't　have　to　kill　people　if　you　can　get　them　to　surrender　to　your　will。　It's　a　lot　more　satisfying　to　see　an　enemy　soldier　running　toward　you　with　his　hands　on　his　head；　dropping　to　his　knees　at　your　feet；　than　it　is　killing　him。〃
　I　turned　off　the　TV　and　mented；　〃She　had　a　certain　presence；　didn't　she；　Bill？　One　of　those　people　who　keep　your　attention　visually；　verbally；　and　mentally。　I　wish　I'd　known　her。〃
　Kent　replied；　〃No；　you　don't。〃
　〃Why　not？〃
　He　took　a　deep　breath　and　replied；　〃She　was　。。。　evil。〃
　〃Evil？〃
　〃Yes　。。。　she　was　。。。　she　was　one　of　those　women　。。。　you　don't　see　many　like　that　。。。　a　woman　whom　everyone　loves；　a　woman　who　seems　clean　and　wholesome　and　sweet　。。。　but　who　has　everyone　fooled。　She　really　didn't　care　about　anyone　or　anything。　I　mean；　she　seemed　like　the　girl　next　door　on　one　level…the　kind　of　girl　most　men　want；　but　her　mind　was　pletely　sick。〃
　I　replied；　〃We're　starting　to　find　that　out。　Can　you　fill　us　in？〃
　And　he　did；　for　the　next　ten　minutes；　giving　us　his　impressions　of　Ann　Campbell；　which　sometimes　touched　on　reality；　but　often　did　not。　Cynthia　got　him　another　beer。
　Basically；　Bill　Kent　was　drawing　up　a　moral　indictment；　the　way　the　witch…hunters　did　three　hundred　years　ago。　She　was　evil；　she　possessed　men's　minds；　bodies；　and　souls；　she　cast　spells；　she　pretended　to　worship　God　and　tend　to　her　labors　by　day；　but　consorted　with　dark　forces　at　night。　He　said；　〃You　can　see　by　those　videotapes　how　charming　and　nice　she　could　be　around　men；　but　just　read　those　diary　pages　just　read　that　stuff；　and　you　can　see　what　she　was　really　like。　I　told　you　she　was　into　Nietzsche…Man　and　Superman；　the　Antichrist；　and　all　that　sick　crap。〃　He　took　a　breath　and　went　on。　〃I　mean；　she　would　go　into　men's　offices　at　night　and　perform　sexual　acts　with　them；　then　the　next　day　barely　acknowledge　they　were　alive。〃
　And　on　he　went。
　Cynthia　and　I　sat　and　listened　and　nodded。　When　a　murder　suspect　speaks　badly　of　the　deceased；　he's　either　not　the　murderer；　or　he's　telling　you　why　he　did　it。
　Kent　realized　he　was　going　on　a　bit　and　toned　it　down。　But　I　think；　sitting　there　in　Ann　Campbell's　house；　so　to　speak；　he　was　speaking　as　much　to　her　as　to　us。　Also；　I　think　her　image；　reinforced　by　the　videotape；　was　very　much　on　his　mind。　Cynthia　and　I　were　setting　the　mood　for　him；　and　obviously　on　some　level；　he　knew　it。　The　four　beers　helped　a　bit；　which　is　my　answer　to　the　ban　on　truth　drugs。　Works　almost　every　time。
　I　stood　and　said；　〃Take　a　look　at　this。〃
　We　all　walked　to　the　far　side　of　the　hangar　where　Cal　Seiver　sat　at　the　puter。　I　said　to　Cal；　〃Colonel　Kent　would　like　to　see　this　display。〃
　〃Right。〃　Cal　called　up　a　fairly　good　graphic　of　the　crime　scene；　including　the　road；　the　rifle　range；　the　bleachers；　and　the　pop…up　target；　but　without　the　spread…eagled　body。　〃Okay；〃　he　said；　〃it's　about　0130　hours　now；　and　the　victim's　humvee　pulls　up　。。。〃　A　top　view　of　a　vehicle　entered　the　screen　traveling　from　left　to　right。　〃It　stops；　the　victim　dismounts。〃　Instead　of　a　profile　or　top　view　of　a　woman；　the　screen　showed　only　two　footprints　beside　the　humvee。　〃Okay；　from　the　latrines　es　Colonel　Moore　。。。〃　Yellow　footprints　appeared　on　the　screen　walking　from　the　top；　toward　the　humvee；　then　stopping。　〃They　talk；　she　takes　off　her　clothes；　including　her　shoes　and　socks…we　don't　see　that；　of　course；　but　we　see　now　where　they　leave　the　road　and　begin　walking　out　onto　the　rifle　range　。。。　She's　red；　he's　still　yellow　。。。　side　by　side　。。。　We　picked　up　her　bare　footprints　there　and　there；　and　we're　extrapolating　the　rest；　which　are　blinking　to　show　the　extrapolation。　Same　with　his。　Okay？〃
　I　glanced　at　Kent。　〃Okay？〃
　He　stared　at　the　screen。
　Seiver　continued。　〃Okay；　they　stop　at　that　pop…up　target；　and　she　lies　down　。。。〃　A　spread…eagled　stick　figure；　in　red；　appeared　on　the　screen　at　the　base　of　the　target。　〃We　see　no　more　of　her　footprints；　of　course；　but　after　Moore　ties　her　up；　he　leaves；　and　we　can　see　where　he　turned　and　walked　back　to　the　road。〃　Seiver　added；　〃Colonel；　your　dogs　picked　up　his　scent　in　the　grass　between　the　road　and　the　latrines。〃
　I　mented；　〃This　is　the　sort　of　visual　display　that　impresses　a　court…martial　board。〃
　Kent　said　nothing。
　Seiver　continued；　〃Okay；　at　about　0217　hours；　General　Campbell　shows　up　in　his　wife's　car。〃
　I　looked　at　Kent；　who　seemed　no　more　surprised　by　this　revelation　than　by　the　revelation　that　Colonel　Moore　had　met　Ann　Campbell；　staked　her　out　on　the　ground；　and　left　her。
　Seiver　continued；　〃It's　a　problem　getting　a　general　to　give　you　his　boots　or　shoes　that　he　wore　to　the　scene　of　the　crime；　but　I　suspect　that　he　never　got　more　than　a　few　yards　from　the　road　and　did　not　approach　the　body。　Okay；　they　talk；　and　he　leaves　in　the　car。〃
　I　said　to　Colonel　Kent；　〃Are　you　following　this？〃
　He　looked　at　me；　but　again　said　nothing。
　Cynthia　prodded　him。　〃Colonel；　what　we're　saying　is　that　neither　Colonel　Moore　nor　General　Campbell　killed　Ann。　This　was　an　elaborate　setup；　planned　with　military　precision；　sort　of　a　psychological　trap　for　the　general。　She　was　not　meeting　a　lover　out　there；　as　some　of　us　suspected；　nor　was　she　jumped　by　a　maniac。　She　was　getting　back　at　her　father。〃
　Kent　did　not　ask　for　an　explanation　of　that；　but　just　stared　ahead　at　the　screen。
　Cynthia　explained；　〃She　had　been　gang…raped　when　she　was　a　cadet　at　West　Point；　and　her　father　had　forced　her　to　remain　silent　and　had　conspired　with　high…ranking　men　to　cover　it　up。　Did　you　know　any　of　that？〃
　He　looked　at　Cynthia；　but　gave　no　indication　that　he　understood　a　word　of　w